Alright, let’s talk about the Conn Smythe voting for 2024. The playoffs just wrapped up, always an intense time, and figuring out the MVP is part of the ritual, right?
So, I decided to really track things this year. Didn’t just wanna rely on the talking heads afterwards. I watched a ton of games, especially once we got into the later rounds. You gotta see the whole picture, not just the scoresheet.
I started keeping a little mental list, maybe scribbled some notes down. Who was really driving the bus for their team? It’s easy to just look at goals or points, but the Conn Smythe, it’s gotta be about overall impact. Who showed up every single night? Who made the big plays when it mattered most?
Watching the Key Guys
There were a few players who stood out, naturally. You had the big scorer on the team that eventually won it all. Hard to ignore that kind of production, point after point, game after game. Dude was electric.
But then I looked deeper. Their goalie? Man, he stole a couple of games, absolutely stood on his head. Without him, maybe they don’t even get past the second round. How valuable is that?
And you can’t forget about the guys on the losing team in the Final. Sometimes a player is so dominant, so crucial to getting his team that far, that he deserves consideration even if they didn’t lift the Cup. Saw a defenseman like that this year. Logged insane minutes, blocked shots, chipped in offensively. Just a warrior.
Thinking About ‘Value’
That’s the tricky part, defining “valuable”. It’s not just the flashiest player. It’s the guy whose absence would have completely sunk the team. Consistency is huge for me. Can’t just have one great series. You gotta bring it for the whole two months.
- Consistency: Did they perform at a high level round after round?
- Big Moments: Did they score the clutch goal, make the huge save, block the critical shot?
- Team Impact: How much did they lift the performance of the entire team?
I spent time thinking back to past winners too. Sometimes it’s obvious, sometimes it sparks debate for years. This year felt like it had a few legitimate candidates, which makes it interesting.
My Final Take Before the Announcement
Going into the final announcement, I had it narrowed down to two guys in my head. The star forward for the champs, and that workhorse defenseman from the runners-up. Both had compelling cases. The forward had the points and the ring, the defenseman had the sheer grit and arguably carried his team more.
When they announced the winner, it was the star forward. Can’t really argue against it too strongly. He had the numbers, played lights out, and his team won the Stanley Cup. It’s the logical, safe choice most times.
Personally? A small part of me leaned towards the defenseman, just because his team wouldn’t have been anywhere near the Final without him. Felt like his individual impact, overcoming obstacles, was maybe slightly greater. But hey, that’s why I just watch and write about it, and other folks do the actual voting. It’s subjective at the end of the day. It was a good run watching it all unfold though.
